


New And Unfamiliar

by afteriwake



Series: Formerly Of Z-Loan [1]
Category: Bleach, Zombie-Loan
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-16
Updated: 2012-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-16 10:35:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/538535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her old life was gone, replaced with something completely different.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New And Unfamiliar

**Author's Note:**

> I can't _believe_ it's taken me this long to think of crossing over my two favorite shonen manga series. Assuming Bleach was set in 2006 (give or take) for the Deicide arc, this is years in the future for that series. Spoilers for what's appeared in the English collection of volume 10 for Zombie Loan.

She was special, or so she had been told when she was collected. One moment she was staring at her friends and the scene in front of her: Shito turned into that old man reincarnate, cradling his dead mother, and her friends caught in a trap. She was standing beside her body and saw a chain from her chest to her body, lying in a pool of blood. Her tongue...it had been ripped from her mouth but now she felt it pressed against her teeth.

And then the man had arrived. He reminded her of Shito, just a little, and Chika, too. He had Shito's build and Chika's unruly hair, only it was dark. He had scars on his face, three lines that fell across his left eye, and a blue band on his cheek, near a 69 tattoo. He said his name was Shuhei Hisagi and he was there to escort her to the afterlife. She hadn't had time to do anything because both of their attentions were drawn to the hand rising out of the floor, his far less longer than hers.

He did...something...and then she was no longer there. He had held her hand when he did it, which had felt comfortable, and when she looked around she saw wide white walls and buildings all over the place. She looked down and saw her clothing had changed as well. It was older looking, almost like the ceremonial clothing she'd worn, but black.

“Welcome to Soul Society,” Hisagi said. He hadn't let go of her hand and instead was guiding her through a pathway that she couldn't understand, to a building with a crest that she knew was important. He knocked on a door and a man with white hair and white eyes opened it. Hisagi spoke to him for a moment and then they were brought in.

The man introduced himself as Captain Commander Shigekuni Yamamoto, and said he was in charge. Everything had gone by so fast that she could only nod numbly. It didn't hit her until he was done that she was dead. Dead, and yet her debt wasn't being recalled. But before she could ask any questions she was being whisked away by Hisagi (who she found out was _Captain_ Hisagi, and then she realized it suited him, this mantle of responsibility).

“You're special,” he repeated. “And yeah, you're dead, but...there's this thing about debts? I don't understand it completely, all I know is that we got you to protect you.”

“But he already got my tongue,” she said, still not used to the one she had in her mouth. “He came back, and...” She began to feel ill. Shito and that _thing_ had _eaten_ her tongue out of her _mouth_ , ripped it out and chewed and swallowed and yet she had another one and-- She began to retch, and he moved to the side, simply rubbing her back. Nothing came out, because she was dead and she hadn't had anything to eat (could she eat, she wondered absently) but she still convulsed trying to get _something_ out.

When she was done she stood and looked at the man Captain Commander Yamamoto had said was to protect her. To protect her from what, she didn't know. And while he had gotten her out of Hong Kong (in one piece...dead, but in one piece) she didn't quite trust him. She didn't trust the entire situation. She wanted Michiru and Chika and even the old Shito. She wanted Z-Loan and she'd even be happy with A-Loan around as well. She just wanted her _life_ back, crazy as it had been. But it was gone, and she was faced with an afterlife alone with a group of people she didn't know, bound to a man she might grow to trust, but didn't trust quite yet.

“Hey,” he said quietly, breaking her out of her thoughts. “Look, I know all this may seem crazy, but...give it a chance. Why don't we start with you getting to know me? Anything you want to know, you just ask, okay?”

“What are you?” she asked.

“I'm a shinigami.”

“But you don't look like the _other_ shinigami,” she said, narrowing her eyes.

“Think of us here as the military branch,” he said. “We fight the things people become when they don't become zombies like your friends, when they get too attached to someone or something and aren't given the chance to make the loan and pay off the debt.”

“So you know about Z-Loan?” she asked.

He nodded. “I was only told this information last week, but yes, I know things about it now.” He paused. “I know about Yomi, and how you lost him, and how you went to get him back and then everything else. I'm one of the few who knows. As far as almost everyone here is concerned, you're going to be my assistant in the 9th Division.”

“Your assistant?” she asked.

“I will be training you in a few things, but...yeah. They want to keep you close to one of us, to keep you safe. There's things that can take you back.” He looked at her. “Your dead man's tongue isn't back, but you have very high spiritual pressure. With training, you could become a really excellent shinigami.”

“What kind of training?” she asked, getting curious despite herself.

“Kidou. It's magic, I guess is the best way to say it. And swordsmanship, and...well, lots of stuff.” He gave her a grin, a warm grin that seemed genuine and real and comforting. She found herself returning it. “You have a nice smile.”

She felt herself grow a little warm. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

“Only a few other people know the truth, other than Captain Commander, and that's Captain Unohana of the 4th Division, Captain Kyoraku of the 8th Division and Captain Ukitake from the 13th Division. They're going to help train you.” He grinned even wider. “They're the oldest Captains in Soul Society. They're all really smart, and really nice. I think you'll like them. We're on our way to see Captain Unohana right now, actually. She wanted to check you over. She's head of the medical division.”

“Okay,” she said. He started walking again and she followed him. This was all going to take some getting used to, she knew, but...maybe she _could_ trust him. Hopefully.


End file.
